The Use of Code Switching/Code Mixing on Olúsẹ́gun Mímíkò’s Political Billboards, Oǹdó State, South-West Nigeria

Tèmítọ́pẹ́ Olúmúyìwá

Abstract

In a multilingual society as Oǹdó State where each language uniquely fulfill certain roles and represents different identities, code switching and code mixing are common phenomena used to meet the complex communicative demands of the majority of the people whose competency in English language is relatively low. Some politicians in the State who are aware of this fact resort to the use of code switching and code mixing in political advertising on the billboards. This paper, therefore, examines the use of code switching and code mixing on Olúsẹ́gun Mímíkò’s political billboards during the electioneering period of the just concluded October 20, 2012 Governorship election in Oǹdó State. The paper shows that none of his political billboards is anti-opposition, rather, they are used to eulogize him. The study found among other communicative intents, the use of code switching and code mixing in Olúsẹ́gun Mímíkò’s political billboards, the need to sell his candidacy and also educating the electorate on where to thumbprint on the ballot paper.